I T I N E R A R Y | S H O R T H O P S
This Place
A love letter from an islander. By Meghan Hoffman
I’LL TELL YOU A LITTLE SECRET —this
place is pure magic. It’s like no other.
It’s off the beaten path and is a bit of a
challenge to reach, but that’s all part of
the adventure. If you’re into the outdoors
this is the spot, the playground — the fix!
San Juan Island, is part of the archipelago
nestled in the Salish sea. Your
access points are by land or sea. This
gives you the time you need to take it
all in. To decompress. To switch gears,
breathe, and step on to the island with a
different perspective.
The quaintness here makes everything
easily accessible. The hardest part is deciding
what type of adventure to choose!
More often than not, I like to adventure
on a principle I call, “GO TIME.” This is
the moment when you know you need
to just go. To see the whales. To see the
sunset. To be on the water.
With time, you become so accustomed
to this mantra you leave your
keys in the car. Because when the
whales are passing through, you’re only
three minutes away. Traffic’s not the
problem, with the exception of the big
ears and their spotted sidekicks that
sometimes bolt from the tall grass.
However, this is something your
eyes become trained to see, especially
because those baby deer usually come
in pairs. So you slow to make sure
they stay put or cross safely. You park
haphazardly on the side of the road and
make your way to the rocky shores to
scan the water for the towering dorsal
fins. Then you hear them. The exhalation
and the spray of the blowhole. And
you just feel it.
Sometimes you set your alarm for
pre-dawn, the wee hours, when the
moon and the sun start to cross paths.
You go up the single-track dirt trail,
making sure not to step on any newts
that freeze in your way.
It’s at this time when the air has a
chill. The birds are waking, wildflowers
flank your path, and stars are disappearing
with every step up to the crest. You
hit the top of Mt. Grant just in time for
the sun to peek out and spread its rays,
as though it’s saying good morning.
You soak it all in, the mossy knolls.
The bald eagles perched within a stone’s
throw. The 360-degree view showcasing
the Cascade range and snowcapped
Olympics. And on a clear day, Mount
Rainier, Mount Baker with the Twin
Sisters. Even views of Victoria come and
go with the fog. Again, you feel it!
You learn to leave your paddleboard
in your truck so on the way home from
work when you look at the glassy water
you can make a game day decision. You
put out an APB to your other adventure
seeking friends. When you get a couple
of takers, they meet you on the water
for an impromptu paddle with road
sodas and a bag of chips.
Dinner doesn’t have as much pull as
the experience and you keep paddling,
exploring all the hidden coves with the
playful river otters circling about. Oyster
catchers with their bright orange beaks
zip by. Hummingbirds dive of the cliff
walls. Big, round curious eyes pop up
next to you, as harbor seals say hello. It’s
not a bad evening after a hard workday.
Needless to say, this island is pure
magic surrounded by the sea and salt
air, smiling friendly faces, afternoon
golden light, long summer days and unparalleled
sunsets. The key, I’ve found,
to relishing its beauty is a spontaneous
attitude, adventurous spirit, and a ‘Go
Time’ attitude. Cheers to that!
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